“IF THERE’S ONE thing I know, it’s that artists throw superior parties,” writes artist and cook Julia Sherman in the introduction to her new cookbook, “Arty Parties.” In my experience, this is the gospel truth. “Whether it’s a dance party in a warehouse, a food-based performance, or an imaginative take on a national holiday,” she continues, “artists cultivate a sense of discovery in the everyday.” Rather than nitpick over the fold of a napkin, these creatives are more likely to focus on the feel of the festivities: the music, the lighting, the ambiance. They’re more likely to think in imaginative ways about the uses of ingredients, not to mention table decor, and to experience a meal as an unfolding improvisation rather than an exercise in perfectionism. As Sherman puts it, “They actually enjoy the process of feeding their friends.” After all, a meal is a creative opportunity to take materials of various shapes, textures, and colors and turn them into something.

Whether or not you’re an artist, if you enjoy entertaining others — with all the boisterous, bubbling, controlled chaos it brings — this cookbook will be a welcome addition to your kitchen. Sherman, a Los Angeles–based artist, writer, cook, and photographer, first made a name for herself in the culinary world with her blog “Salad for President,” which became a hugely popular artist-inspired book by the same name in 2017. The cover of that volume is delicate pink and adorned with vivid images of fresh produce, including a bisected artichoke and avocado, plus less conventional items like a bright Buddha’s hand and a Tokyo turnip with pert, bushy greens. One might consider the design a flag from the land of millennial cuisine, a celebration of food that’s pretty, healthy, planet conscious, and accessible. I was particularly charmed by a section of the book on unfussy morning foods, titled “Fuck Brunch.” (Sherman also hosted a pop-up by that name in Red Hook, Brooklyn, for a time.)

There are also brief, enjoyable asides throughout “Arty Parties.” One section illuminates the LA Fruit Share, a seasonal citywide initiative started by Sherman and fellow food enthusiasts and activists to distribute backyard produce. Another looks at “Collage Night,” an evening of artmaking and finger foods with designers Shin Okuda and Kristin Dickson-Okuda. These glimpses of Sherman’s community of artists, designers, musicians, and other friends fill out the cookbook, making it a substantial reflection on what it can look like to creatively nourish our bodies, with the hope that this creativity is sparked beyond the kitchen. Both of Sherman’s published volumes and her other ventures — like Jus Jus, a line of natural, low-alcohol sparkling wine — bear the stamp of her philosophy. Her breezily elegant and joyful approach to seasonal cooking celebrates those who love to host, and emboldens those who want to learn to love it. With “Arty Parties,” Sherman wins my highest praise: She makes you want to get your hands dirty.